Merging the hidden boundary Letters from HUMAN to HUMAN

(2016)

Place : Chittagong, Bangladesh

This project centered the voices of the transgender community in Chittagong, exploring their experiences, thoughts, and expressions in a society that often marginalizes them due to gender identity. Its core message is: We are all human beings.

Through workshops, participants were invited to write letters to loved ones, family, or society, sharing feelings that are rarely heard. With their consent, I transcribed 11 letters and photocopied them 10 times, creating 110 letters, which were installed publicly near a newspaper board. Passersby naturally discovered and read the letters, initiating dialogue between the transgender community and the wider public. I also welcomed participants to the space to see their letters displayed, ensuring they could witness their voices reflected and acknowledged.

In parallel, transgender participants and local residents were invited to create clay objects, which were merged and displayed anonymously, showing that creativity, instincts, and dignity are shared across gender and social difference.

By centering transgender voices and human experience, this project fostered empathy, visibility, and connection, transforming individual expression into shared dialogue and gently challenging social prejudice.